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WASHINGTON, D.C.-Congressman Allen Boyd (D-North Florida) today supported the passage of the Bipartisan Taxpayer Protection Act (HR 1677), which improves and increases Internal Revenue Service (IRS) outreach to provide taxpayers with stronger protections against tax fraud and identity theft.
"The American people are growing more and more concerned about the vulnerability of their personal information, and rightly so-identity theft has become one of the world's fastest growing crimes," said Congressman Boyd. "This legislation will help crack down on misleading websites that try to obtain personal information. With more than half of tax returns now filed electronically, this is an important step to ensure that personal financial records are protected and remain private."
Specifically, the Taxpayer Protection Act would:
- Require the IRS to notify a taxpayer that there may have been unauthorized use of the taxpayer's identity in the course of a tax fraud investigation.
- Increase the civil and criminal penalties for websites that seek to get personal information by imitating the IRS.
- Simplify tax filing requirements for businesses owned jointly by husbands and wives.
- Strengthen IRS outreach to make sure that people know that they are entitled to tax refunds or to payments under the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).
"According to the Government Accountability Office, approximately 25 percent of households eligible for the EITC in 1999 did not claim it," Boyd stated. "The Taxpayer Protection Act will help more Americans receive the tax relief they are owed and better protect taxpayers in the fight against identity theft."
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